I’m inspired by the culinary wizardry of chefs. I love watching and learning from them, even
if the topic is something I think I’m well-versed on…I can always, always,
learn something new through a reiteration or gain clarity. I also love interviewing chefs and have
always managed to learn something from them, just by talking with them. Their
passion and exuberance for their craft shines through with their every word,
much the same as one of their well-orchestrated culinary masterpiece they’ve
created…. after all, their creations are a piece of themselves! Following are a few recent memorable chef
events I was fortunate enough to experience.
Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort ~ Executive Chef
Sean Patrick Curry
From Bees to Gardens to All
That’s Sustainable
A veteran in the hospitality industry, Chef Curry is on a
mission to go beyond the buzzword rhetoric of sustainability, farm to table, traceability,
etc. by living and breathing it each and everyday. Since becoming a part of the Oak Brook Hills
Resort, he’s added several Chefs’ Gardens where the fruits of his labor are
regularly harvested and used in menu preparations; the gardens include
vegetables, herbs, and flowers; the latter also functioning as a butterfly
habitat. He’s also proud of the hives of
honey bees he set-up along the open hilly areas of the Resort’s Willow Crest
Golf Course this past April. Hundreds of
thousands of industrious honeybees have busily pollinated the nearby vegetable
and herb gardens, while producing pure and delicious honey. As of this writing, Chef Curry has already
harvested over eighty pounds of honey, with hopes by October for another one
hundred and twenty pounds, or more.
That’s very impressive to have a target harvest of some two hundred
pounds of honey in approximately six months time. He’s also hoping for a significant increase
in the bee population…the more bees, the more honey, and the more pure wax.
Chef Curry is deeply committed to doing as much as possible to
be a good steward of the environment and giving back to the community. Not only does he live it at work, but as a
father, he’s a strong influence on educating his two kids on the merits of
sustainability and related topics, not just in words, but in deeds as
well. He admits that his kids also
strongly influence him when it comes to being proactive with these issues. Chef Curry is also in the process of
developing menu options that will include a greater variety of sustainable and
organic food choices for guests; I wouldn’t be surprised if he also doesn’t
eventually offer special themed farm to table dinners for guests and possibly
locals. And, under his leadership, a
recent change at the Resort includes the exclusive use of Columbia Street
Roastery coffee, an organic and free trade coffee that’s roasted by an Illinois
company; the roasting company also provides jobs to residents of Misericordia,
Heart of Mercy; Misericordia, Heart of Mercy is a home for children and adults
with disabilities.
Guests can savor the sweet, delicate, and pure liquid gold right
from the honeycomb when it’s served as part of a breakfast dish, or fruit and
cheese platter. Guests can also savor
specialty drinks made with fresh grown herbs; of course, some of the menu items
served also include freshly harvested salad greens, vegetables, and herbs from
the gardens.
It’s an exciting time at Oak Brook Hills Resort, and much of
that has to do with Executive Chef Sean Patrick Curry’s passion and commitment
to being a good steward of the earth and having that passion and commitment
touch each and every guest who experiences the Resort.
Chef David Esau ~ From Soup to
Nuts and Everything In-Between
Clarendon Hills Public Library is one of several public
libraries in my area that regularly offers cooking demonstrations led by accomplished
and established chefs.
I recently attended Chef David’s “Cooking from Your Garden” demonstration,
and had a lot of fun watching this animated chef carefully prepare his menu
items, while adding informative and thought-provoking commentary about aspects
of sustainability and planet stewardship.
On the menu was Polenta with Asiago and Sage, Tomato Caponata on fresh
made baguette bread, and Cherry Clafoutis.
Each menu item was delicious, and the recipe sheets received were
simple and uncomplicated, and definitely something that was doable in our own
home kitchens.
Chef David’s Polenta with Asiago
and Sage
 |
| (Image from www.mccormick.com) |
INGREDIENTS ~ 1 medium onion, diced; 2 T butter; 1 Qt. milk; 1 C
corn meal; S&P; ¼ C Asiago cheese, grated; herbs are optional, but on this
go around, fresh grown sage leaves were chopped and added to the finished
product.
METHOD ~ Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add onions and sauté until light brown. Immediately add the milk, and season with
S&P. Bring to boil and reduce flame
to a simmer. Begin slowly adding corn
meal, while whisking constantly. Mixture
will thicken. When all the corn meal has
been added, stop whisking; turn heat to lowest setting, and cook for ten
minutes. (This cooks the corn meal grains,
so the polenta will be smooth.) Stir in
Asiago and sage. Serve immediately.
Chef David is an accomplished chef, instructor, caterer, and
entrepreneur. For more information,
visit http://davesspecialtyfoods.com
Pirch Chicago ~ Where There’s
Always Something Cooking
 |
| (Image from www.recipe.com) |
For the weekly “Sourcing Saturday” hands-on cooking experience I
participated in, Chefs Susan and Brian guided a group of about ten on the finer
aspects of preparing a seasonal menu in their high-end kitchen. The seasonal menu included fresh, organic,
and locally sourced items.
The menu recipes included a Summer Salad of Apples, Caramelized
Pecans, and Greens, dressed with Cinnamon Vinaigrette, Salmon Croquettes, Vegetable
Medley Risotto, and Strawberry Whipped Cream Pie. We all split up into groups and headed for
our prepping stations to begin working on the steps for each of the recipes under
the watchful eyes of both chefs.
Since I had never tried making risotto, I volunteered with one
of the young men for that portion of the menu; I figured this would be a great
opportunity to learn how to make it. Key
ingredients included Arborio rice, butter, olive oil, zucchini, leak, carrots, orange
bell pepper, peas, garlic, porcini mushrooms, grated Parmesan cheese, and Chardonnay. A lot of effort went into slicing, dicing,
chopping, and then churning the seasonal mixture. After nearly a half-hour later, the dish was
cooked, and was a hit with all workshop participants; in fact, all of the
carefully prepared dishes by the home cooks were delicious. These cooking experiences are always
enjoyable; we all learn something new at each session, whether that’s from our
wonderful chefs, or from other home cooks.
Another plus is the fact that we get to cook our menu items on high-end
equipment, that most of us can only dream of having in our kitchens, myself
included. For more information, visit http://www.pirch.com/location/chicago/
~ In Closing ~
Sometimes all one has to do is to research goings-on in their
own backyard. Check your local library,
or community special events, or cooking and other specialty stores that might
be offering cooking classes, demonstrations, or lectures. No matter your age, or level of culinary
proficiency, there’s always room for absorbing new knowledge.
That’s it for this edition.
Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your
culinary curiosity. Happy cooking…happy eating!
By Terry Herman
TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and
wine. She has been covering culinary
related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle. Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness
Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and
food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events
such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show
and the Sweets and Snacks Expo. She has
been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and
is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is
frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content. She has also presented at major industry
conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory
boards. She has a background in
strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking. In addition to her blogs, her social media
outreach also includes Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page,
“Terry’s Second Helpings”. Please note
that the “Comment Section” has been disabled.
For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.
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